Abstract:The semi-solid slurry of A380 aluminum alloy was prepared by the serpentine channel. The effects of pouring temperature, curve number and curve diameter of the serpentine channel on the microstructure of the semi-solid A380 aluminum alloy slurry were investigated. The results show that the satisfactory semi-solid A380 aluminum alloy slurry could be obtained when the pouring temperature ranged from 630 to 650 °C. Under the same conditions, increasing the curve number or reducing the curve diameter of the serpentine channel would decrease the average diameter and increase the shape factor of the primary α(Al) grains. The “self-stirring” of the alloy melt in the serpentine channel was beneficial to the ripening of the dendrites and the spheroidizing of the primary α(Al) grains.

Key words: A380 aluminum alloy; semi-solid slurry; serpentine channel; primary α(Al)